This invention relates to the field of display devices, and in particular, to display devices which function to hold and protect a display card(s) which, in turn, provide the desired information to a prospective customer, or for the user.
1. Background of the Invention
The field of display devices is a crowded art and encompasses a wide variety of differing embodiments. Typically, display systems are used both by merchandisers and individuals. On the level of the merchandiser in a large chain store, display systems allow a customer to research the product without assistance from a sales clerk. They generally comprise at least one display card, protected by a transparent film, that visibly displays product information about a product. This product information may be in a variety of forms, for example, a photograph or a written description. Display systems may include a means for mounting the display system at the desired location, e.g. on a shelving unit, or they may use a pre-existing mounting system. At the level of the individual consumer, display systems are often a means to display collectibles, typically collector cards.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,437 issued to ABRAMSON and BAKE teaches a merchandise display system. The system includes supports means for holding display information cards where the support means is an extrusion mountable on a wall or other surface. The support means includes flexible attachment means that allows for the manipulation of the information display cards, where the flexible attachment means is generally a plurality of flexible strips extending from the support means. The free ends of the attachment means are adapted to hold the information display cards.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,691 issued to MANJOS teaches a card display holder and protector. This apparatus comprises first and second transparent panels connected to one another by a common hinge line. The display holder receives the card to be displayed into the recessed portion of the first panel. The second panel has a projecting surface so as to engage the first panel and to maintain the display holder in a closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,775 issued to ABRAMSON and STEWART teaches a merchandise information system. This systems comprises a rigid base and a plurality of spaced apart flexible webs, where the flexible webs depend from the rigid base, and display items may be attached to the lower end of the webs. The display items are typically clear plastic envelopes which are adapted to receive display cards or the like. The display items may be viewed through either the front or rear surface of the envelope as the envelopes may be rotated about the respective flexible webs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,427 issued to ABRAMSON and STEWART teaches an overlapping merchandise information display module. This system comprises a rigid base, and a plurality of flexible webs which depend from the lower edge of the rigid base. A series of overlapping display items are attached to the lower ends of each of the webs respectively to display one side of the item. The display items may be rotated about the flexible webs so as to display the other side of the item.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,665 issued to DEETER teaches a portable display case. The apparatus is transparent and has a plurality of compartments for storage, display, and transport of display items. Each case had a transparent plastic cover hingedly connected to the case so as to cover the open front face. Furthermore, each case may be attached to an adjacent case, vertically disposed, by means of a tongue and groove type of fastener.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protective display system for displaying a plurality of substantially planar display cards. The protective display system of the present invention comprises at least a first pair of transparent panels, and a flexible living hinge. Each one of the at least a first pair of transparent panels has a front face, a back face, and at least one straight peripheral edge. Furthermore, at least one of the at least a first pair of transparent panels is an envelope which is adapted to receive at least one display card. Each one of the at least a first pair of transparent panels is opposed to one another such that each of the at least one straight peripheral edges are opposed edges. The flexible living hinge is located along at least a portion of the at least one straight peripheral edge of each one of the at least a first pair of transparent panels. Still further, the flexible living hinge is interposed between the at least one straight peripheral edge of each one of the at least a first pair of transparent panels. The at least a first pair of transparent panels is rotatable about the flexible living hinge. The protective display system of the present invention is an unitary structure. Also, the flexible living hinge has greater flexibility than each one of the at least a first pair of transparent panels.
In an alternative embodiment, the at least a first pair of transparent panels comprises a first envelope, and a second envelope. Furthermore, the flexible living hinge is interposed between the first and second envelopes.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the at least a first pair of transparent panels comprises a first envelope, a second envelope, and a third envelope. Here, the flexible living hinge is interposed between the first and second envelopes, the second and third envelopes, and the third and first envelopes. It is important to note that the flexible living hinge may be extruded.
As an alternative, the protective display system comprises a first envelope, a second envelope, a third envelope, and a flexible living hinge which has a star configuration having three extending webs, and is such that the at least one straight peripheral edge of each one of the envelopes is welded to a respective one of the extending webs.
In a second alternative embodiment of the present invention, the protective display system comprises a first pair of transparent panels and a respective first flexible hinge, a second pair of transparent panels and a respective second flexible living hinge. Each of the first and second flexible living hinges is interposed between each of the respective first and second pair of transparent panels. The first flexible living hinge is placed on top of the second flexible living hinge, and is welded one to another such that each of the first and second flexible living hinges maintains its flexibility when welded one to another.
In the alternative embodiment, the protective display system comprises two pairs of transparent envelopes and a flexible living hinge, and where the flexible living hinge has a star configuration having four extending webs. The protective display system is such that the at least one straight peripheral edge of each one of the envelopes is welded to a respective one of the extending webs.
The flexible living hinge may fulfill the role of a rip stop, where the rip stop functions to impede a tear in the flexible living hinge from progressing down the entire length of the flexible living hinge. The rip stop comprises a plurality of rows of closely spaced inwardly and outwardly directed projections, and each of the plurality of rows is perpendicular to the respective straight peripheral edge. Also, it is noted that the plurality of rows is located along the length of the flexible living hinge.
Typically, the at least one envelope of the protective display system is adapted to receive two display cards, back-to-back. When the first envelope receives two display cards, the first display card is visible through the front face of the first envelope. Furthermore, the second display card received within the first envelope is visible through the back face of the first envelope when the first envelope is rotated at least 90 degrees about the flexible living hinge. Still further, when the first envelope is rotated at least 90 degrees about the flexible living hinge, the at least one display card within the second envelope is visible through the front face of the second envelope.
The first and second envelopes of the protective display system may be stepped such that, when the back face of the first envelope is contiguous to the front face of the second envelope, an edge of the second envelope which is remote from the flexible living hinge extends a distance below an edge of the first envelope which is remote from the flexible living hinge such that a portion of the second envelope is visible.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the first, second, and third envelopes are stepped, such that, when the back face of the first envelope is contiguous to the front face of the second envelope, and the back face of the second envelope is contiguous to the front face of the third envelope, an edge of the second envelope which is remote from the flexible living hinge extends a distance below an edge of the first envelope which is remote from the flexible living hinge, and an edge of the third envelope which is remote from the flexible living hinge extends a distance below an edge of the second envelope such that a portion of each of the second and third envelopes is visible.
The stepped nature of the envelopes illustrates to the consumer that there is additional display information beyond the first visible display card. In addition, at the merchandising level, it allows the merchandiser to display large quantities of information that the consumer may view at their leisure without requiring assistance from store staff. At the individual level, collectibles may be displayed and mounted on a refrigerator door for example, where the first item in the collection is visible, and if persons seeing that first collectible are intrigued or interested, the stepped nature of the display card clearly shows that there are additional display cards that may be viewed upon rotation of the first display card.
While the protective display system may be free standing, the user may also find it desirable to mount the protective display system on a desired surface. The protective display system may further includes a hanging strip for attaching the protective display system to an existing base. The hanger strip is located along at least a portion of the at least one straight peripheral edge of one of the at least a first pair of transparent panels. Furthermore, the hanger strip is parallel to the flexible living hinge.
As an alternative, or in addition to the hanger strip, the protective display system may include a fastening means. The fastening means is generally located on the back face of the rearmost envelope and is chosen from the group consisting of a magnetic strip, a hook and loop connector strip, double sided tape, and combinations thereof.
The manufacture of the protective display system involves the unexpected application of the joining of two different materials, usually a more rigid PVC and a more flexible PVC. Each one of the at least a first pair of transparent panels is formed from a rigid PVC and the flexible living hinge is formed from a flexible PVC. Still further, the front face and back face of each one of the at least a first pair of transparent panels, and the flexible living hinge may be formed using a coextrusion process.
In the alternative, the at least a first pair of transparent panels may be vacuum formed, and the at least one straight peripheral edge of each one of the at least a first pair of transparent panels is welded one to another, and to the flexible living hinge.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing the protective display system. The protective display system would be, of course, as described above. In particular, the at least a first pair of transparent panels of the protective display system comprises a first envelope and a second envelope, and the flexible living hinge is interposed between the first and second envelopes. The method comprises the steps of:
(1) placing the first and second envelopes in a die such that the at least one straight peripheral edge of the first envelope is opposed to the at least one straight peripheral edge of the second envelope, and each of the envelopes is in the same plane.
(2) closing and heating the die to a temperature above the tempering temperature of the flexible living hinge, so as to interpose the flexible living hinge between the at least one straight peripheral edge of the first envelope and the at least one straight peripheral edge of the second envelope, where the at least one straight peripheral edge of the second envelope is opposed to the at least one straight peripheral edge of the first envelope, by the addition of a flexible PVC.
(3) opening and lifting the die after interposing the flexible living hinge between the respective at least one straight peripheral edge of each of the first and second envelopes, while the flexible living hinge remains above its tempering temperature.
(4) rotating one of the first and second envelopes about the flexible living hinge such that the back face of the first envelope is contiguous to the front face of the second envelope.
(5) cooling the protective display system and trimming the excess material from the flexible living hinge.
It is important to note that the rotation of one of the first and second envelopes about the flexible living hinge is carried out while the flexible living hinge is above its tempering temperature, and so that after cooling, an elastic memory for the flexible living hinge is created, and the first and second envelopes are in the desired position. The elastic memory of the flexible living hinge is such that it encourages each of the first and second envelopes to return to the desired position after each of the first and second envelopes is rotated about the flexible hinge.
In keeping with the present invention, another method of making the protective display system is provided. This method comprises the steps of:
(1) placing the protective display system such that the first envelope, the second envelope, and the flexible living hinge are all located in the same plane.
(2) reheating the flexible living hinge to a temperature above its tempering temperature.
(3) rotating one of the first and second envelopes about the flexible living hinge such that the back face of the first envelope is contiguous to the front face of the second envelope.
(4) cooling the protective display system.
Similar to the first method of manufacture of the protective display system described previously, the rotation of one of the first and second envelopes about the flexible living hinge is also carried out herein while the flexible living hinge is above its tempering temperature. Thus, after cooling, an elastic memory for the flexible living hinge is created, and the first and second envelopes are in the desired position. The desired position is defined as the back face of the first envelope and the front face of the second envelope being contiguous to one another. When the protective display system is cooled in this desired position, the elastic memory of the flexible living hinge is such that it encourages each of the first and second envelopes to return to the desired position after being rotated about the flexible living hinge.